Direction-indicator



J. A. 6. GRANT. DIRECTION INDICATOR. APmc-m'ou men uov.22. |919. 4 Patented Feb. 22,1921.

- 4 SHEETS-SHEET?!- J. A. G. GRANT.

DIRECTION INDICATOR.

APPLICATI 0N -HLED Nov. 22, ms.

Patented Feb.22,1921

' 4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

1. A. G. GRANT.

DIRECTION INDICATOR. nrmcmqn FILED nov. 22, ms.

s m 7 m r h UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES A. G. GRANT, OF IOLA, KANSAS.

DIRECTION-INDICATOR.

, Specification of Letters Patent. P t t 22, 1 2

Application filed November 22, 1919. Serial No. 339,919.

'tion more particularly to a deviceof this general character especially designed and adapted for use in connection with automobiles and the like, and it is an object of the invention to provide a novel and improved indicator of this type which can be manually operated with convenience and facility, and preferably through the instrumentality of a foot pedal.

It is also'an object of the invention to provide a device of this, general character including a pair of signaling members or semaphores supported at opposite sides of a vehicle body, together with means whereby each of said signaling members or sema phores may be elevated or moved into a position to indicate that a turn is about to be made in the direction of travel of the vehicle and wherein means is provided for maintaining each of said signaling members or vide a novel and improved device of this general character wherein is embodied a signaling member or semaphore in simulation of a human arm or hand, so that when the signaling member or semaphore has I been moved into a position extending outwardly from the vehicle, an appearance will be presented in close imitation of the extended arm and hand of an occupant of a car, so that the signal will cause no confusion in connection with the now prevalent practice of indicating a turn by the outward extending of a hand and arm, by an occupant of the car.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved device of this general character wherein the signaling member or semaphore is provided with light emitting means, whereby the signal may be clearly observed after nightfall, and wherein said light emitting means is electrically operated andunder control of the mechanism for moving or ad'usting the signali inember or semaphore into signaling posl- IOIL The invention consists in the details of constructlon and in the combination. and

arrangements of the several parts of my ima proved direction indicator, whereby certain lmportant advantages are attained and the device rendered simpler, less expensive and otherwise more convenient and advantageous for use, as will be hereinafter more fully set fort The novel features of my invention will hereinafter be definitely claimed.

In order that my invention may be the better understood, Iwill now proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary view in side elevation, with portions broken away, of the device, having applied thereto a direction indicator constructed in accordance with an embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a view in rear elevation of the structure as disclosed in Fig. 1, one of the signal members or semaphores being raised and the other lowered;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view a partly in vertical section and partly in ele-r vation illustrating the mounting of one of the signaling means or semaphores, as herein included, together with a portion of the operating mechanism, said member or semaphore being lowered; 4

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view partly in section and partly in elevation of the 'member or semaphore raised or elevated;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 55 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a view in end elevation of the globe as herein embodied;

' Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view partly in section and partly in elevation of an operating pedal comprised in the operating mechanism, together with the parts concomitant thereto;

' Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view partly in section and partly in front elevation of the structure as illustrated in Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary view in bottom plan of the operating mechanism, as herein embodied, the operating circuits for the lamps being diagrammatically illustrated;

' v Fig. 11 is a fra is a fra mentary sectional view illustrating a modified form of invention, and, v

entary sectional view illustrating a still urther modified form of invention.

Asdisclosed in the accompanying drawings, B denotes a vehicle body of a con ventional'type employed in connection with motor-driven vehicles, and wherein the side walls 1 are of the conventional double construction provided with an intervening space 0;.

I includes-the base flanges 2, through which bolts or other. suitable members are adapted to be disposed for securing the member M in applied position. The member M is also provided with the outwardly facing socket zontall the b0 y B. The bolt .member or semaphore S.

3, provided in its base with an opening 4.

' 1n register with an opening 5, formed in the outer section of the wall 1.

The socket 3 is intersected by a removable bolt or pin 6, disposed substantially horior in a direction longitudinally of or pin 6 serves as a pivot for the vertically swinging signaling The signaling member or semaphore b comprises an elongated arm 7, having one -endportion 7 arcuate, and extending Within the socket3 for pivotal engagement with the boltor pin 6. The portion '7is continued by a restricted extension or tail 8,

lin 12with a substantiallyhorizontall .wardly substantially T shape which is directed through the registering openings 4 and 5,, and extends within the intervening space 0; of the wall 1.

The free end portion of the extension or tail 8 is provided with the opening 9 to afford means whereby the eye or hook 10, provided at an end of an elongated rod 11 may be interlocked and hingedly or pivotally en aged with said extension or tail 8.

he rod .11 is vertically disposed and housed within the wall 1, and the lower end portion of the rod 11 is operatively en aged through the instrumentality 03 a 1sposed arm 14 of a bell crank lever The second arm 15 of the lever C-is downdirected, and the heel portion- 16 of the lever C is 17 to receive the outstanding stud. 18' carried bythe bracket 19. The bracket 19 is in form, and is rovided with the openmgs 20, through w ich screws or the like are directed for properly anchoring the bracket 19 in applied position upon the under faceof the bottom or floor 20 of the body B.

The dependin arm 15 of the bell crank lever C is provi ed with an opening 21 to tially horizontall provided'with an opening.

permit the requisite operative engagement therewith of an end portion of a substanportion of the rod 22 is operatively engaged with an arm 23 of a bell crank lever C,

.said engagement being facilitated b an disposed rod 22, extending rearwardly o the body B. The rear'end 25 of the bellcrank lever C is provided with an opening 26 to permit operative engagement therewith of an end portion of a rod 27, extending inwardly and transversely of the body B. The opposite end portion of the rod 27 is operatively engaged with the outer extremity of an arm .28 of a bell crank lever C said arm 28 being substantially 25, and is a soprov-ided in its freeextremity with'an opening 29 for the desired engagein parallelism with the arm I ment therewith of a rod 27. The bell crank provided with an opening '31-, through which extends a stud 32 depending from a plate 33 secured to the .under surface of the bottom or floor 20. By this it will be at once understood that thebell crank levers C and C end portion of a forwardly directed rod 37.

38' denotes a bracket depending from the floor or bottom 20 of the body 'B, having its lower end terminating in a substantially horizontally. and transversely directed bearing 39, through which is disposed a shaft 40. The shaft 40 extends beyond the opposite ends of the bearing 39, and each extended end portion is disposed through an opening 41 provided in the heel portion of a bell crank lever L. One arm 42 of the lever L normally egrtends rearwardly and upwardly, and is provided in its outer or free end portion with an opening 42 to afford means wherebf 'the forward end portion of the rod 37 may be operatively engaged therewith; The second arm 43 is upwardl directed, and its free end ortion is provi ed with a longitudinally disposed slot 44. Straddling the u per or free end portion of the arm 43 is a ork 45 carried by the lower end portion of the section 46 comprised in the pedal P. The fork 45 is bridged b' a stud or pin 47, which extends through the slot 44, so that upon endwise movement of the pedal P the bell crank lever L will be.v operated tocause the signaling member or semaphore S to assume an exleversC' and C each have their heel portion tended or substantially horizontalposition 7 its normal position, and, when the operating mechanism is released, to facilitate the return of the signaling member or semaphore S to its inoperative position.

The pedal P extends upwardly and rearwardly through the bottom or floor 20 onan angle of substantially 45, and through a bushing 49 extending through said bottom or floor 20.

The pedal P comprises the lower section 46 and an upper section 50, detachably connected as at 51. The connection 51 preferably comprises a threaded shank I) carried by the lower section 46, and engaging within a socket 0 formed in the lower end of the section 50. The forming of the pedal P in two sections is necessary in order to properly mount the pedal P, in view of the fork 45 carried by the lower end of the section 46 and the tread 51, carried by the upper end of the section 50.

The portion of the pedal P within the bushing 49 is such as to permit the pedal P to have slight rocking movement in a direction longitudinally of the body B; and the rear edge of the upper section 50 of the pedal P is provided with a notch 52 to receive a lug 53 carried by the bushing 49,whereby the pedal P is normally locked against downward movement, and the si aling member or semaphore S retained in inoperative position. The forward portion of the bushing 49 is provided with a socket or recess 54, in which is mounted an expansible member 55, which operates to constantly urge the pedal P rearwardly to assure the requisite coaction of the lug 53 with the pedal P, as afforded by the notch 52. When it is desired to swing a signaling member or semaphore S upwardly into working position, the operator engages a foot with the tread 51, and swings the pedal P against the action ofthe expansible member 55 and'thereby disengages the pedal P from the lug 53. .The pedal P can then be depressed to accomplish the desired upward swinging movement of the signaling member or semaphore S. When the pedal P is released from pressure, as by the removal of the foot therefrom, the signaling member 01 semaphore S automati cally drops to its lowered or inoperative position and the pedal P moves upwardly and the desiredinterlock of the lug 53 with the pedal P is accomplished automatically.

The signaling member or semaphore S returns to its lowered or inoperative position by gravity. In order to facilitate the upward swinging movement of said member or semaphore S I find it of advantage to secure to the extension or tail 8 an end portion of a .retractile member 56, herein disclosed as a coil sprin and the o posite end portion of said mem er is suita ly secured to the bottom or floor 20, or at a suitable point below the extension or tail 8. The

member 56 is of a tension insuflicient to' raise the signaling member or semaphore S, butof a strength to materially minimize the manual operation.

In practice it is preferred that the tread 51 be provided at its forward portion with an upstanding'flange 57 ,so that the pedal P maybe conveniently operated by the heel of a foot, so that the toe portion can be conveniently used in connection with a portion of the mechanism comprised in the vehicle or automobile proper.

Extending outwardly from the wall 1 is a U shaped bracket 58, which receives the lower portion of the signaling member or semaphore S when in its lowered'position, and serves as a support therefor, and particularly to maintain said member or semaphore S against accidental movement in a direction longitudinally of the body B, which would otherwise result in injuring the member.

As herein before described, the structure as particularly related to each of the signaling members or semaphores S is of a character adapted to be applied to a built body. In a new structure the outer section of a side wall may be provided with an out standing portion 59, having formed therein a vertically disposed groove or channel 60, in the upper end portlon of which the signaling member or semaphore S is pivotally supported for vertical swinging movement. This groove or channel 60 is also of a depth to substantially entirel receive the signaling member or semap ore S when in its dropped or lowered position.. If preferred a new car may be constructed in each side wall with a vertically disposed roove or channel 61, extending inwardly o the back structure 62 of a seat, and particularly the front seat when the body is of a touring thereto by a removable pin or bolt 64', said pin or bolt 64 holding the member 63 in a position to efiectively maintain against displacement the globe "G."

' The globe G comprises an elon ated tubular'member formed referabl 0 glass, and

the side walls of said globe are substantially concave-convex with the convex surfaces outwardly directed. 'Pressed out-.

wardly from each side face of the globe G is a simulation of an-extended hand with the wrist portion thereof arranged at any open end of the lobe G. The wrist portion of the globe extends partially within the outer or open end of the arm 7, and, as

hereinbefore stated, is effectively maintained in applied position by the strap 63 and the coacting pin or bolt 64. 65 denotes a block depending from the upper or closed longitudinal wall of the 'arm 7, and said block serves as a support for the socket 66, extending in a direction longitudinally of the arm 7. The socket-66 is in electrical connection in a manner to be hereinafter more particularly I described, with a source of electrical energy E, preferably dry storage batteries arranged under the front seat structure of the car body.

Coacting in a conventional manner with the socket 66 is an incandescent lamp 67, which extends within the globe Gso that when the lamp is bu the rays of light emitted therefrom will eectively illuminate the globe and more articularly the simulation of a hand. Alt ough not necessary, it

I is preferred that the portions of the globe G surrounding the simulation of the hand be opaque or rendered impervious to light.

It will be readily seen that the manner of mounting the globe G, as just set forth,

is such as can be readily replaced or removed in accordance with the requirements of practice, and particularly in the event of saidglobe becoming broken or otherwise unfit for use. This ready removal or replacement of the globe G also facilitates the desired appll ication' or replacement of the lamp 67.. elescoping wlthin the arm 7 from below is an elongated member 68 substantially U shape in cross section, and V sha in side elevation. The apex portion of t e member 68 is pivotally engaged, as at 69, within the arm 7 at a int in close proxim'it to the arcuate portion 7 of said arm. Eac of the side walls 69 of the member 69 adjacent the broad end thereof is provided with a transversely disposed arcuate slot 70. Directed through the slots 70 of the side walls 69 is a cross member or pin 71, carried by the side walls of the arm 7 adjacent the lower edges thereof. By this means the member 69 1s capable of limited swinging movement with respect to the arm 7, so that when the said arm is raised, the member 69 will drop outwardl therefrom to apparently increase the widt of the arm 7, so that they same may be more readil discerned. When the arm is dropped an reaches its lowered position, the member- 69 readily moves. inwardly of the arm7.

One of the conductors to coacting with the socket 66 leads directly to the electrical source E. I The second connection for the socket 66 includes a conductor in electrical connection with the rod 11. eoperating circuit is continued through the rod 11, the bell crank lever C, the rod 22, the bell crank lever O, the rod 27 and the bell crank lever C. The arm- 28 of the bell crank lever (1,

when said lever has been moved to efiect the desired raising of ,a signaling member or semaphore S, engages a spring contact member 72 carried by the bottom or floor 20 of the body B, and in electrical connection through the conductor z with the electrical not desired that the lamps 67 burn when aling members or semaphores S arev It is to be understood that the necessar 'parts of the operatin mechanism for eac the si exten ed. r

of the signaling mem rs or semaphores S are suitably insulated, so that the operating circuit for'each of the lamps 67 will be properlv maintained. if i From the. fore oin description it is thought to be obvigus t at a direction indicator constructed in accordance with my in-- vention is particularly well adapted for use by reason of the convenience and facility with which it ma. be assembled and operated, and it will. a so be obvious that my inv vention is susceptible of some change and modification without departing from the principles and spirit thereof, and for this reason I do not wish to be. understood as limiting myself to the precise arran ment and formation of the several parts lierein shown in carrying out my invention in prac tice except as hereinafter claimed. I claim:

1. A direction indicator for vehicles including a'semaphore sup cited for vertical swinging movement, mec anism for moving .said semaphore upwardl said semaphore movm by gravlty int c opposite direction, t e pivoted end'portion of the semaphore being provided with a tail, and a spring engaged with said tail for constantly imposing a pull uponthe semaphore to facilitate its upward movement said spring being insuflicient in itself to impart movement to the semaphore. i

2. The combination with an automobile embodying the usual body and provided with a pair of signal arms adapted to be swung to-operative and inoperative positions, of operating mechanism for said siging one end connected to the slottedarm of one of said bell crank levers and the opposite end connected to the under portion of the body of the automobile, bushings extending through the bottom of the frame of the automobile and each provided with a bore, a; lug-formed upon each of said bush ings and projecting outwardly from v the rear face of the bore thereof, pedals longitudinally shiftable through said bushings and provided upon their lower ends with b1- .furcated members, pins extending through" the arms of said blfurcated members and the slots of the arms of said bell crank lovers, the bore of said bushings being of sufiicient size to ermit transverse movement of said peda s therein, said, pedal being provided with a notch-adapted-to engage the lug of said bushing and to limit the. downward movement of the pedal, retractile members mounted within said bushin s and engaging the front faces of said pe als to force said notches into engagement with said lugs, and means operatively connectin the free arms of said bell crank levers wit said signals.

signature;

JAMES A. G. 'emm'r.

In testimony whereof I hereunto'aflix my 

